Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits and/or external removable devices in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain its data and can include random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can retain stored data when not powered and can include NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), and magnetic random access memory (MRAM), among others.
Memory devices can be combined together to form a solid state drive (SSD). An SSD can include non-volatile memory (e.g., NAND flash memory and/or NOR flash memory), and/or can include volatile memory (e.g., DRAM and/or SRAM), among various other types of non-volatile and volatile memory. An SSD can be used to replace hard disk drives as the main storage volume for a computer, as the solid state drive can have advantages over hard drives in terms of performance, size, weight, ruggedness, operating temperature range, and power consumption. For example, SSDs can have superior performance when compared to magnetic disk drives due to their lack of moving parts, which may avoid seek time, latency, and other electro-mechanical delays associated with magnetic disk drives.
In various instances, it can be beneficial and/or desirable to erase data stored in memory (e.g., to delete files or portions thereof that may contain sensitive and/or private information). Some deletion mechanisms may not involve actual physical erasure of the data such that it is possible for the data to be recovered from the memory. For instance, a deletion mechanism might involve physical erasure of memory locations currently storing a particular file, but memory locations which may have previously stored the particular file, or portions thereof, may not be physically erased. Other deletion mechanisms might involve physical erasure of all data stored in memory, which ensures deletion of data targeted for deletion, but also erases data that may not be targeted for deletion.